Code Geass R3: The New World and a New Emperor
by Xascul
Summary: Five years after the death of Emperor Lelouch, Britannia has a new Emperor on the throne. How will this collide with the world that Lelouch tried to create? LelouchxCC, RivalzxMilly, OhgixVilleta and more!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Yes! I finally have a Code Geass fic now! I've watched the anime and I loved it! However I want to be able to continue writing the story and explore what the characters are up to after the series end.

Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass nor its characters. I do own the Ocs that will show up later.

* * *

Code Geass R3: The New World and a New Emperor

Turn 1

It has been five years since the death of Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia. So much had happened since that fateful day. Lelouch vi Britannia accomplished the impossible task of taking over the world. At a parade in Japan, he arranged to execute dissenters and enemies, Zero, Lelouch's own alter-ego, assassinated him with his own sword.

One might ask, was he a hero or the devil incarnate? Many people say he was a demon. He sacrificed countless lives to take over the world, only to have himself killed at the end. But not everyone hated him. If one asked his friends from Ashford Academy, they would say that he was a hero.

What did Lelouch try to accomplish? To pay for his sins? To create a world for Nunnally to live in peace? To show the world what he was capable of? No one will ever know his true intentions. What he did manage to accomplish was to focus all hatred to himself and to shock the world into action.

* * *

Kallen Kozuki, or rather Kallen Stadtfeld, as she was known to her friends was busy studying for midterms during college. She had graduated from Ashford Academy with flying colors despite living a double life as the right hand man, or girl, of Zero. Now, there was no need to hide it anymore, and she had become a bit of a celebrity at Tokyo University.

Kallen finished her work at the reconstruction firm, went outside, looked around, and breathed deeply. The United States of Japan, or the Democratic Vichy of Japan as it was now officially known has been prospering under the leadership of former Britannian Princess, Nunnally vi Britannia. Kallen never would have guessed that her friend in the wheelchair would turn out to be of royal lineage, much less made the Governor of Area 11 five years ago. But that was then. Nunnally had shed her last name in favor of the one she and her late brother shared when they were in school together, Lamperouge. She had no inclination to claim the Britannian Throne, nor did anyone remaining of her family. No, she wanted to continue where her late brother and half sister left off, and that was to build a strong and peaceful Japan.

It was getting late and Kallen boarded the monorail back home. As the high-speed train zipped past dozens of buildings and sky scrapers, every time she looked over at the ongoing rebuilding and countless cranes and construction workers, she always thought back to her two friends who were responsible for these projects.

* * *

Ohgi, a dear friend and former member of the Japanese Liberation Front, had been elected Prime Minsiter of Japan, and head of government. Kallen smiled at where and what Ohgi might be doing now. She had known him for many years and he always dressed in gangster style clothes with a black leather jacket and headband, but as Prime Minister, Kallen found if very hard to picture him in asuit and tie. At Nunnally's last birthday party, where she had invited her friends from Ashford Academy, the Order of the Black Knights and members of the UFN, Kallen remembered how...... _different _Ohgi looked in a crisp three part suit and his arm around his wife, Villeta, a former Britannian officer.

"Ohgi?! Is that you? You look so.......different! Kallen practically exclaimed when she saw him.

Ohgi couldn't help but chuckle at her comment. True, it had been many years cine Ohgi had worn a suit, heck he couldn't even remember when the last time he wore one.

"You're one to talk Kallen, I never expected you to dress so boldly." Ohgi said with with a smirk as he looked at Kallen's rather low-cut dress. Of course that still did not compare to his wife, who had regained her curvy, voluptuous form and then some.

Kallen's face turned as red at that comment and turned away slightly while Ohgi and Viletta were both laughing at how easily Kallen could be embarrassed.

During the first three years, many areas surrounding Japan like Northern Manchuria, South Korea and Shakhalin Island decided to join with the new Japan. While the Japanese Vichy was being rebuilt and expanded, the rest of the world was not doing as well. Halfway around the world across the Pacific Ocean, The Holy Britannian Empire was in chaos. With the loss of its leader, and no one to claim the throne, the Empire's boundaries slowly but surely began to shrink.

Barely a week after Lelouch's death, several leaders of the former Euro Universe banded together and decided to take back continental Europe. Through the combined efforts of the German, Italian, and U.F.N. Troops, they successfully pushed the Britannian forces out of Europe and into Britain.

* * *

Kallen couldn't care less what happened to Britannia. Although she had forgiven _Lelouch _for what he did, that didn't change the fact that she still hated the Empire as a whole. The train came to a stop and Kallen got off. She walked several minutes across the station and back outside. By the time Kallen had reached the campus and dorms, the sun had already set.

She walked in to her room and slumped down on the bed and lay there for several minutes. Kallen thought back to when she was still in high school with her friends, although she rarely showed up at school. She can't say that she didn't enjoy those days more than she did now, but in many respects, it was more exciting. Now there weren't really enemies that she had to fight, aside from the occasional outbursts of anger from citizens, and Kallen really did miss her Guren.

Kallen rolled over and knew that this was for the better. She still cried occasionally when she thought of Lelouch. Little did people know is that she had developed feelings for him. She couldn't believe that she got jealous at CC that she was always with him. Kallen laid in her bed for a few more minutes and decided to get some studying done. She got up, walked over to her desk and pulled out her books and started reading.

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Please Read and Review! I know this is short, but bare with me!


	2. Chapter 2

Turn 2

Euro Union, Berlin.

In a small apartment in a wholly unremarkable part of Berlin, two figures sat in front a television set. One figure was slouched rather lazily on a couch eating a slice of pepperoni pizza and holding a large stuffed toy. The other person was sitting in an arm chair with a rather bored expression on his face.

Lelouch vi Britannia, or Lelouch Lamperouch as he was known now sat watching the morning news on a television set in the little cabin that he and his partner CC shared. Lelouch had jet black messy hair, purple eyes and was of thin build. He sat watching the news half-heartedly and watching CC indulge herself in pizza.

What was a person like him, and a former Emperor of Britannia doing sitting watching TV in a cabin? Five years ago, when he was the 99th Emperor of Britannia, he and his good friend Suzaku Kururugi had planned what Lelouch called Zero Requiem, otherwise world domination. However there would be a twist to the end of his story. Once Lelouch had conquered the world Suzaku would kill him in front of the world as Zero, Lelouch's own alter-ego. This way, all the hatred that had been focused on him would finally dissipate with his death.

That day still gave Lelouch goosebumps.

* * *

He and a few people choreographed his death even when Jeremiah Gottweld was supposed to attack Zero. He even choreographed the skirmish between himself and Zero. Suzaku would pull out the Sword of Britannia and Lelouch would pull out his pistol. Lelouch would be furious and try to fire his pistol and Suzaku would knock his pistol aside and stab him through the heart.

As Lelouch felt his life leaving him, he lay at the foot of the ramp in his sister's arms.

_Finally, my sister can live in peace. _ He thought to himself.

He opened his eyes and began to see a white light.

_So this is what the afterlife is like huh?_

But Lelouch did not die. He wondered for a while why would he be alive after he got stabbed in the heart.

"You inherited your father's code." She said with her usual emotionless face.

"Code?"

"Yes. Your father, Charles di Britannia, inherited the code from VV. That's what geass users call when the person with a geass exchanges their power for immortality and immunity to geass. When he was about to die be passed it on to use without knowing it. Hence you still are alive." CC explained.

"Wait, so does that mean I can't use my geass anymore?"

"You can I think."

"Well I'm not. The geass died with Lelouch vi Britannia that day. I want to be known as LL from now on." Lelouch said. The geass had helped him achieve his goals, but not without cost. The geass became permanently active at the worst of times, and ended up costing the life of his half-sister.

CC went back to hugging her over sized doll. "Suit yourself, so where are we going now LL?"

"I don't know."

* * *

Lelouch felt so alone when he was playing Zero. He felt even more alone now that he was supposed to be dead to the world. He wanted to cry really badly. On the outside he showed confidence and leadership, but on the inside he felt he was being torn apart piece by piece. He had lost his first love, Princess Euphemia li Britannia, he had lost his dear friend and a potential lover, Shirley Fennete, his fake brother Rolo, he thought he had lost his beloved sister, he had lost his parents, his allies in the Black Knights and one Kallen Kozuki, and of course he had lost both his parents.

"Is something wrong Lelouch?" the green haired girl asked with an air of concern and indifference.

"N-nothing. Just thinking....." Lelouch answered. He was surprised the gray witch would even show concern for him like that, as she normally didn't care what he did as long as he didn't get himself killed. Then again, CC did give him a nice smooch on the lips six years ago when he was checking out a 'thought elevator.'

"Hmm...I can tell you're sad Lelouch. I've known you for too long to not notice."

"It's just.......well.....did everything I do........was it all for naught?" Lelouch said rather quietly.

"How should I know? Besides, you were the one who wanted the power to obliterate Britannia am I right?" CC said with a slight teasing tone.

CC expected Lelouch to be angry at her, instead he got up and went outside, presumably to get some fresh air and to be alone for a while.

Deep down, CC felt something stir in her chest. She knew Lelouch must be feeling lonely after all what has happened, and even during his quest to build a world where he and his sister can live in peace. CC knew what it was like to be lonely, and........did she start feeling sorry for Lelouch? She had made contracts with countless people over the centuries and not one can she remember ever really cared or paid much attention to her.

"Lelouch........." the word escaped her mouth for apparently no reason.

* * *

Penglai Island, Government District.

Nunnally Lamperouge, formerly Nunnally vi Britannia, pushed the dial on her wheelchair forward and rolled along the hallway of the government building.

She had decided to step aside the position of a ruler in exchange for a mediator. But she was not just any mediator. She, along with her 'Knight' Zero, and former Prince Schneizel,worked to facilitate conflicts and problems between the various factions and countries. She was now a 'global moderator' responsible not to any country, but to the peace of the world.

Although many of her supporters had suggested that she take up the throne of Britannia, she had politely refused and left it up to 'better people.' She felt that as a diplomat and mediator, she would be in a better position to continue her brother's dream of a world where the strong would not prey upon the weak.

In the last seven years her life had taken a roller coaster ride. First she and her brother was transfered to Ashford academy by their father, Charles di Britannia, 98th Emperor of Britannia. Although she had grew up in the palace, being in a private school was certainly a nice change for her. She was blind and confined in a wheelchair, but she was still happy that she was able to be around people her own age. She and her brother worked on the Student Council at Ashford Academy and though she couldn't see what was happening when they were talking, she could almost picture what a certain scene would look like.

When Milly Ashford, President of the Student Council gathered the rest of the gang in the clubhouse where she and Lelouch stayed, she could imagine in her mind what Milly was doing to Lelouch in the others. She smiled to herself as Milly gave orders to Lelouch and Rivalz, whether it was setting up for an event or feeding the cat. She counted herself lucky that she was in a wheelchair because she didn't have to do that work, though it would have been funny to watch her brother trip and fall on his face from carrying too many packages.

Her hearing and sense of touch had become much more heightened as a result of her loss of sight. She needed only to listen to a person's voice or feel a person's hand to tell what they were feeling. When she talked to Rivalz for instance, she could detect a slight affinity in him for the whimsical Milly Ashford. She made no comment to him about his slight crush, but could guess that we would be flushing or slightly flustered at that point.

She had recently celebrated her 19th birthday with her friends and it was a nice break from her work. Although she was surrounded by her friends and allies, she still felt an emptiness in her heart. She still found it hard to get over completely of her brother's death. Her life in school with her brother was more than she could ask for at the time. She still could not understand why her brother did so much only to die in her hands at the very end.

Nunnally tried to forget about that and move forward. She had to for Lelouch's sake.

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Please read and review!

A/N: Personally, I see Nunnally as the Secretary General of the UN sort of. I think that suits her more. I also would like to thank Donkeykong75m for helping me beta this chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I apologize for the mistakes of the previous chapter. I obviously did not proofread it enough. I was playing around with where Lelouch and CC would be after the time skip and I played around with an apartment or cabin, hence the two differences. Anyways I'll try to be more careful.

-Xascul

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Turn 3

Imperial Capital of Luoyang, Chinese Empire

Jade Luminaris was sitting in the back of her class bored out of her mind. She was staring outside the window of her history class and was not paying attention to what her teacher was lecturing about. She had her left arm on the desk and was resting her head on her hand.

Jade was a fifteen year-old girl studying in the capital city at a high school not far from the Vermillion Forbidden City.

She never liked history very much, much less this class which unfortunately for her was the last class of the day and even worse, the teacher was lecturing about the history of the Chinese Federation.

She should have paid attention to what her teacher was saying considering that she was of Chinese decent, and also that she was having a test in a week's time. Yes, Jade was of Chinese decent. She had a round, cute Asian face with high cheekbones and little setback of her brown eyes. She had elbow length black hair and stood a few inches over five feet.

Although she could have passed for a Chinese citizen, she was not. She was Britannian, along with her brother. Her parents were immigrants from the Chinese Federation about two decades ago. At first they were looked down upon as outsiders in the eyes of Britannian citizens, but as they applied for full Britannian citizenship, they came to be more respected. Jade and her brother were the first generation of their family to be born citizens of the Holy Britannian Empire.

The Chinese Federation had gone over two name changes in recent times. Before the death of Charles di Britannia, it was known as the Chinese Federation. When Zero captured the young Empress, he persuaded her to help him form an alliance of nations to fight against Britannia and created the United Federation of Nations which composed of 47 individual countries. The Chinese Federation was renamed the United States of China for a brief time. About two years after the death of Lelouch, the United States of China was renamed the Chinese Empire after Empress Tianzi reorganized the country into a Constitutional Monarchy with the help of several friends from the United Federation of Nations.

At long last, the final bell rang across the school and Jade bolted out of class like a speeding bullet. She was running out of class not because she wanted to was bored in class, but she promised to meet a special friend that afternoon.

She ran down the street for several blocks and soon enough was standing in front of the Vermilion Forbidden City slightly out of breath. She took a minute to catch her breath and walked up to the imposing palace gate.

"Halt! This area is strictly off-limits to the general public, no one is allowed to enter without permission!" said one of the two guards who stood by the gate.

Jade was not intimidated though. She calmly said to the guard, "I have a letter of invitation from her majesty, the Empress Tianzi." and pulled out the said note.

The guard took it, looked at it for a good minute, then turned and nodded to his comrade, who also nodded back.

"Very well, you may enter." The guard said to Jade and was shown to a side door, as the main door was reserved for the sovereign.

Jade was secretly good friends with the now eighteen-year-old Empress Tianzi, and one of a handful of people who knew the Empress's real name. She walked swiftly across the courtyard as she couldn't wait to see the Empress, and that walking at a normal pace would have taken twice as long to walk across the massive expanse of gardens and paved stone.

Finally, Jade was escorted to see the Empress in the throne room at the center of the palace.

"Jade Luminaris to see Her Imperial Highness the Empress Tianzi!" The guards announced. Jade felt slightly uneasy at all this formality. She never really did like it that much and she felt out of place still in her school uniform.

Empress Tianzi was now eighteen and has physically and mentally matured over the last few years. Before she met Zero, she was unassertive, shy and even insecure of herself. She had been stuck in the palace since childhood and never once stepped outside.

Now she appeared more confident about herself and was smiling a lot more often. So much so that she jumped off her throne and ran to hug Jade inviting a few skeptical looks from the guards and dignitaries. But that was beside the point. It wasn't everyday a friend came to see her in the palace like this.

"Jade! It's so good to see you again! I was beginning to wonder if you got my invitation!" Tainzi cried as she hugged Jade tightly.

Jade patted the Empress's back and said, "It's good to see you again, too Your Majesty."

Tianzi finally let go of Jade and told her to wait a few more minutes as she still had some business to attend to. Jade nodded and stood patiently by the door.

She had her first friend in Xingke, although he was more of her guardian than friend. The first real friend she made who also happened to be her age was Kaguya Sumeragi, now the reinstated Chairman of the UFN.

Luckily for her, Kaguya was coming later this afternoon as they had some business to attend to about a group of extremists that have been giving the Chinese Empire some trouble. Afterwards, the three of them planned to gather together for some relaxation as they haven't seen each other for a good three years.

Tainzi smiled again knowing that this is something that Xingke would have wanted.

* * *

Tokyo, United States of Japan

Prime Minister Kaname Ohgi rose from his chair, raised both his arms over his head and stretched.

His back and neck was sore from leaning forward over his desk and reading numerous papers and bills, and no wonder he needed to get the energy flowing in his body again.

Five years as Prime Minister and Ohgi and feel the stress and age creeping up. Now at 35, he was also five years into his marriage to and was going to be up for reelection in a few months.

He turned around and looked out the window of his office. He glanced around him for several minutes and a smile appeared on him face. What he saw before him was a city on the rise. As he looked around for several minutes, he thought back to just how much the city has changed since the death of his predecessor, Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi.

Many years ago, before the Holy Britannian Empire invaded Japan, he along with Kallen's brother, Naoto Kozuki, were schoolmates in high school, and again in college.

* * *

Ohgi was studying furiously for his tests and was holding his head in frustration.

"C'mon Ohgi! Still reading your books? Why don't the two of us hit town tonight?" Naoto jeered at the other man.

"I told you before Naoto, I have finals coming up in a two weeks! I can't be going out to town right now!" said a Ohgi.

"Oh well, suit yourself! Heck if you don't learn to have some fun every now and then, I'll bet you that you have a better chance of being Prime Minister than getting a girlfriend ha! " Naoto teased Ohgi again.

Ohgi finally gave in and said, "Alright you're on! And if I somehow become Prime Minister you can be Minister of Finance!" Ohgi joked back.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds and both burst out laughing.

"See? Told ya you can be funny too!"

Ohgi retorted back, "Only because you wouldn't stop bugging me!"

Ohgi had always been the more studious of the two while his counterpart was the more laid back and funny one. Ohgi had studied hard to become a teacher. His studies went relatively smoothly but just after their graduation, the Britannian Empire attacked and before he knew it, Japan had become Area 11. That didn't stop him from getting a job as a teacher at a high school in Kyoto, one of the few cities that was not attacked or bombarded during the invasion.

He chuckled at himself at how he studied for so long to become a teacher for three years, only to join up with Naoto again as members of the underground resistance and to end up as Prime Minister. He always said he wasn't a good leader, and now Naoto would probably be grinning at the fact that he would have won that bet.

* * *

Berlin, Euro Union

CC walked around the city, doing a bit of shopping and sightseeing. Since she lived mainly in Japan and Britannia before moving to the Euro Union, she was relatively unknown and no one gave her a second look though somehow her green hair and yellow eyes were not considered weird.

The governments in exile, along with the help of the UFN, eventually beat back the Britannian forces to England, and reformed the Euro Universe, or Euro Union as it was now called. Now the EU was reformed so that the mistakes which made them vulnerable to attack would not happen again.

CC noticed a flier for a concert taped onto a near by light pole. It was for a celebration of some sorts. She thought a little concert and music might lighten up Lelouch a little.

CC could remember vaguely what Europe was like before she eventually wandered into the Britannian Empire. It was around the mid 1600s of the Imperial Calender. She could remember that she used to live in Vienna, then Capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Although she couldn't remember all the details, she did know that a war had erupted between the various Protestant and Catholic factions and eventually plunged all of Europe into war.

After moving to the Britannian Empire to avoid the war in the early 1700s, even though she was immortal, she enjoyed the relative peacefulness of the new world she lived in.

CC laughed silently to herself as throughout her lifetime, it seemed that all the big wars were fought in Europe. She could only begin to imagine what it was like for the leaders of the country to have to get together every fifty years or so to redraw the map of Europe.

She heard about Napoleon's attempts to unify Europe not two hundred years after the Hundred Year's War between the various factions of the church. No wonder why Britannia grew to be so powerful because it stayed out of most of the wars that were fought across the Atlantic Ocean. Napoleon accomplished what the Romans and other French leaders couldn't do before him: He conquered England.

CC decided to purchase two tickets and headed back home to their apartment, where Lelouch had just gotten off work.

"Lelouch? The two of us are going to the concert tonight."

Lelouch grunted and paused, "Eh? Since when?" he exclaimed when the words sank in.

"Since now. I already bought our tickets, so it would be a waste not to go." CC said in her usual tone.

"I didn't agree to this!" Lelouch tried to protest, but it was no good. CC had always managed to get her way one way or another.

* * *

Tonight the two were dressed in their finest clothes and took a cab to the opera house. This was a special occasion as today was a celebration for the reunification of Europe.

As the two took their seats, CC looked over at Lelouch. He really did look good in that suit. She was so used to seeing him in his school uniform or his Zero outfit. She didn't care too much when Lelouch dawned the Emperor's white robes. Personally, she felt he looked better in black.

Soon the opera began. CC and Lelouch took note of the new flag that was hung behind the choir. It was a rectangular navy blue flag with twelve golden stars arranged in a circle.

The concert was divided into two parts, the first being a selection of music that showed off the various cultures of Europe and their values. The second half would be sort of an opera that would reveal the new Anthem the European Council had chosen.

CC found herself liking the music and even unconsciously grabbed hold of Lelouch arm at one point.

Towards the end of the opera, CC got an unexpected surprise. It was the Ode to Joy.

The tenor singer got up first to sing the first few lines of the song, then the female lead, then the alto singer. Soon the full opera got to its feet and began to sing:

(Readers, you might want to open up the 'Ode to Joy song and imagine what this would be like)

_Est Europa nunc unita_

_Et unita maneat_

_Una in diversitate_

_Pacem mundi augeat_

_Semper regnant in Europa_

_Fides et iustitia_

_Et libertas populorum_

_In maiore patria_

_Cives, floreat Europa_

_Opus magnum vocat vos_

_Stellae signa sunt in caelo_

_Aureae, quae iungant nos_

_Europe is united now and  
_

_United it may remain  
_

_Unity in Diversity  
_

_May it contribute to peace!_

_May there reign forever in Europe  
_

_Freedom, faith and justice too  
_

_Everlasting may these values last  
_

_In a greater motherland_

_Citizens may Europe flourish  
_

_A great task calls upon you  
_

_Golden stars in the sky are the  
_

_Symbols that shall unite us!_

_Europe is united now and  
_

_United it may remain  
_

_Unity in Diversity  
_

_May it contribute to peace!_

At the end of the final verse, the entire hall erupted in cheers and applause. It certainly had a different tone than the Britannian counterpart with its powerful bass and more belligerent tone. No, the new Euro Anthem was more graceful and grand, yet had the same feeling of what it meant to be a citizen of the EU.

CC's eyes began to water and a small smile crept up onto her delicate face. She was very moved by the music and words, but it also brought back memories of a distant past........

That night, when the two got back to their little apartment and changed to something more comfortable to wear, Lelouch looked over at CC. He could see traces of tears on her face.

"CC? What's wrong?"

"It's......it's nothing......" CC began.

"I noticed you started crying a little during the concert, did you not like it? You were the one who invited me to come." Lelouch said to the green haired girl.

"No it's.......I just remembered.........what it was like when I used to live in Europe........many years ago....."

lLelouch was suddenly interested, "Oh?"

"I was remembering......the first time I heard this when I moved back to Europe for a while before coming back to Britannia."

CC explained the history of the song and its performance. It was written by a German composer, Ludwig van Beethoven, and first performed in 1824 a.t.b. She was there when it was first performed and now that she heard it again, she could remember how happy it made her feel after so many years.

* * *

Please read and review!

A/N: I thank Velshard for pointing out my mistakes the previous chapter and I will make it a point to proofread my work better.

I did not write the lyrics for the Ode to Joy.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: The last part of the previous chapter and the beginning of this chapter is dedicated to my friends and any reviewers or readers in the real life European Union. I know that Europe was divided and at war for a good amount of history, so that's why I decided to show the concert, at least when you read it and imagine it, perhaps you can imagine the real EU finally united as well.

-Xascul

* * *

Turn 4

The Euro Union had been established and a concert was organized to demonstrate the newly reformed country's national anthem. However, it is not without its heroes and leaders which helped made this possible. Maximus McGreevy walked outside the concert hall into the cool, night air. He, like many other people who attended the EU's Concert of Declaration of Restoration and Independence, was very moved by the music and themes. He had a tear in his eye as he walked out and tried to regain his composure.

_Unity in Diversity huh?_ That was what was going on in his mind now. While he was still in school, he would read about his country's rich history of various nations and leaders fighting for dominance.

Since the days of Emperor Caesar Augustus of the Roman Empire, countless times have people tried to unite Europe. Trajan, Charlemagne, and Charles V all failed to do so.

Napoleon had came close, but failed in the end as he was beaten at the Battle of Waterloo by the combined forces of Scotland, Prussia and Russia. But in 1957 a.t.b., a treaty was signed by 15 members at Rome and agreed on creating a joint economic and political union. The Treaty of Rome would be revisited again for the reunion of Europe after almost 60 years.

That was the Union's new motto. Again it was in sharp contrast to the Britannian Empire's values across the Atlantic Ocean.

Maximus was a 22-year-old veteran pilot and was known for his many accomplishments in Europe's drive for independence. He stood just under six feet, had medium build and jet black hair. For tonight, he had combed his otherwise messy hair neatly and donned a black tux complete with a crimson vest and tie and white dress shirt.

He walked down the stone steps of the concert hall and was about to call a cab when he heard a voice call his name.

"Ah, Mr. McGreevy! May I have a minute of your time?" said a female voice.

Maximus turned around and looked at the person in question. He gasped and was almost speechless at who the woman was. It was Morgana Dukalia, the President of the EU. She looked to be in her early thirties, had auburn hair in large curls that framed her delicate, smooth face. Her skin was slightly tanned and she stood a several inches shorter than Maximus. She had been elected only three years ago by a popular vote and was already working tirelessly like the other heads of state to build a strong and stable country.

"Madam President! How do you do this lovely evening?" He said smoothly as he took her hand and kissed it and bowed slightly causing the female head of state to blush slightly.

"I am doing well thank you, I was wondering if you were going to continue your service in the army? You are a great pilot and considered a national hero." She asked cordially.

Maximus smiled and said, "I would like to continue if only part time. I have a girlfriend now and wish to spend more time with her. But shall the Euro Union require my service, you need only to call."

His piloting skills was rumored to be among the best of the EU and he himself was also seen as a superhero and idol to the children. Sometimes, he would be walking about minding his business and a few kids might shout out his name and the next second, swarmed by a group of kids, though he didn't mind at all. His Knightmare is the Crimson Flare, thus earning him the nickname, 'Crimson Knight' or 'Crimson' for its distinctive deep red color that would have made any vampire drool. He didn't really mind, as it was his favorite color since he was 15.

It is true that he had become a symbol of justice and hope for the people of the EU in the past few years. But now he wanted to take it a little more easy and spend time with his girlfriend.

"I am glad to hear that, may I give you a lift at least?" President Morgana offered.

Crimson blushed a bit out of embarrassment but shook his head and said, "No thank you, I would not want to inconvenience you." and politely declined.

The president nodded and after a quick good night, Crimson decided to take a quick stroll to the plaza across the street for some quiet time to himself.

He was busy thinking about Ana as he walked across the fluorescent-lit plaza complete with a Roman-style fountain and colored lights and suddenly, he walked into something relatively solid. A split second later, he realized that he had accidentally bumped into someone.

Maximus looked up and noticed that he had bumped into a green-haired girl.

"Ah, I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going, are you alright miss?" Maximus said, and held out a hand to help the girl up.

The girl looked up at him once, ignored his hand and picked herself up. Then she said with a slight haughty tone, "I thank you for your concern, now I must be leaving. Good night." And before Maximus could say another word, she had spun around and was already ten feet away.

_Huh? I wonder what that was all about? Oh well, off to see Ana!_

Maximus thought as he signaled for a taxi to take him back to his place in the city.

* * *

Tokyo, United States of Japan

"Whoa, would you look at that chick over there!" said a man with black trench coat.

"Damn man! You're right! She is _racked_!" said another man with a beret.

"Ugh." Kallen said under her breath as she walked around the casino in her bunny suit.

Yep, another one of Kallen's jobs was a bunny mascot for a casino in downtown Tokyo. She did it before as undercover work for the Black Knights and was more than a bit appalled by the stares she got. As she still was the 'right hand girl' of Zero, she still had to do covert operations like this and eavesdrop on unsuspecting people to get the latest information in the criminal underworld and what better place to do that than a fancy casino. And hey, the pay was really good and Kallen did want to be more independent of her Britannian step-mother. Her birth mother was still in the hospital recovering from overdosing on refrain, so the money she made was for a good cause.

_Jeeze, I take back what I said about Britannians, they're the same as Japanese in this place, especially if you're a guy._

It was a little difficult to maintain a smile while thinking ill of the people around her. Heh, she wondered if this what Lelouch felt all the time when he was Zero. Then again, whoever this new Zero was must have a similar feeling. Nevermind, Zero still had it easier precisely _because _he had a mask on, and therefore did not have to worry about his facial expressions.

Oops, a customer wants to play some Blackjack.

"Hi! Welcome to the Lucky Hand Casino where everyone is a winner! Would you like to try your luck at Blackjack?" Said Kallen to a Japanese male Blackjack would-be player with a fake, but believable smile.

"Hey sure! I don't mind playing poker if you're the dealer!" the man said.

_Hmph, figures._

"Hey, can you deal me in as well? I haven't tried Blackjack before!" said a female voice behind her.

"Oh c'mon Milly, why don't we stop for now while we're ahead?" said a male voice.

_Oh no, I know those two voices anywhere, can it be.......?_

Unfortunately for her it was exactly whom she thought they were. She turned around to face two people her age, Milly Ashford and Rivalz Cardemonde.

"Oh, hello! And yes of course you may join!" Kallen said to the two of them.

The two of them got behind the Blackjack table and laid some chips down.

"What are you lovely couple doing here tonight?" Kallen asked her friends as if she didn't know them.

Rivalz blushed at this comment, "Ah! But....we're not........"

Milly cut him off, "Oh, just having a bit of fun like everyone else, my friend here invited me since he's finished with exams for now."

"I see, well shall we get started then?" Kallen said as she started shuffling a deck of cards.

"By the way miss, do I know you? You seem familiar?" Milly said to Kallen with a quizzical look.

Kallen was not phased by this and started dealing the cards out to the three people. "No I don't think we have, you must be mistaken. Hit or stay?" She said to Milly as she finished dealing the cards.

"I think I'll stay for now." the blonde said.

"You sir?" Kallen addressed Rivalz.

Rivalz looked at his cards, a down card of a seven of clubs and a face up five of spades. "Hit."

A four of hearts.

"Uh.....hit."

Another four, this time, four of spades.

"I'll stay." Rivalz said.

She turned to the man with an earing on his left ear. "Hit."

Kallen dealt him his card. An eight of clubs.

"I'll stay." He said.

Kallen then turned to her own cards. She already had sixteen points. She dealt a card for herself, she got a nine of spades. Bust for her.

"Seems you guys got lucky this time." She said with a slightly hurtful tone that was obviously faked as she paid the three players their chips.

Kallen changed her mind about the two of them coming here. She actually felt more comfortable around them and they seem to be holding back the third guy who was taking a few snide glances at Kallen's well.....you know what I mean.

The game continued on for what seemed like hours. After several dozen rounds of Blackjack, and a few short tempers, one of Kallen's co-workers came and relieved her of her duties.

Kallen breathed a sigh of relieve when it came time for her break.

"Aww man........just when I was feeling an upturn of my luck! Oh well, I think I know of another way I can still get lucky tonight....." The man with the earing was looking at Kallen again with that hungry stare.

Kallen was flabbergasted at best, and Milly, ever the person to spot trouble, decided to step in.

"Hey big guy? I know of some ladies who might want to get to know you downstairs at the slot machines, I should know, you seem their type," the blonde said to the man who looked skeptical but was convinced nonetheless.

"Um, excuse me ma'am but can you show us to the lost and found? We seemed to have lost something." Milly said to Kallen.

"Of course, this way please." The red head led the the two away from the game tables.

She, Milly and Rivalz walked to the lost and found room, which as Milly had predicted was empty.

"Nice one there Milly, I owe you one." Kallen said to the blonde.

"Heh, no problem Kallen, I haven't seen you for a while now, I've seen you've done some growing in the right places!" Milly teased Kallen in her rather revealing outfit.

Rivalz and Milly laughed while Kallen instinctively covered her chest with arms and turned her back to them to hide her blush even though both of them probably knew she was blushing already.

"Heh, still a pervert I see Milly," Rivalz sighed.

Kallen turned around and couldn't help but smile. Yes she hadn't had fun like that for a while, and that was only when she was around her old friends.

"Sorry about that, I didn't know you two were going out together!"

"Well........I guess you can say that about us........" Milly said.

"We're just having some fun now since I'm done with exams. And Milly also doesn't have work today."

The three of them chatted for several minutes about what they have been doing in the past few years and how the others are doing. Sadly, their reunion couldn't last and Milly and Rivalz had to get going. It was already late and they still had to cash in their winnings for the night.

"I'll see you guys around!" Kallen waved them out.

Milly and Rivalz waved Kallen good bye and walked over to the cashier. Despite Rivalz's earlier protests about Milly stopping while they were ahead, the two of them had earned a respectable amount. Now whether or not they will be doing this again anytime soon is doubtful.

Milly turned around and walked to a storage room to pick up some more chips for the casino when she heard a voice call out to her from behind the boxes. She decided to investigate and in the shadows she saw the unmistakable glint of a dark blue face shield.

"Zero! What are you doing here?!" Kallen screamed the name, but remembered to whisper the last few words.

"Relax, I only came here to get some information." Zero said while he approached a few paces closer to her. She could tell his voice was a little different and a little deeper than before.

There was silence for a few minutes as Kallen tried to think of something to say. "Um..... may I ask you a question?"

"Yes?"

"Are you......who I think you are under that mask? There are only a handful of people who could have killed Lelouch like that." Kallen finally asked. This was the question she was dying to ask him. She hadn't seen Zero for a while as he had to protect Nunnally now as well. The second in command was former Prince Schneizel and it was a bit odd working with him. Then again, Lelouch was a former prince as well.

"You want me to take off my mask and show you my face? I thought it didn't matter who Zero was underneath."

"Yes, but........"

Zero held up a hand to silence Kallen and she did so. "It's alright."

Zero reached up slowly and pulled off his mask.

"Suzaku! But......but.....!"Kallen screamed out.

"Shh, keep your voice down!" Suzaku reminded her. Five years later and Suzaku features had grown more intense. His skin looked paler than usual probably from lack of sunlight, and his once short, curly hair had grown down past his ears.

"I thought you had died!"

"Of course not, but I am dead to the world now. I wanted to tell you something else though. There have been rumors spreading that Britannia has a new leader. We don't have much information on him yet, but I wanted to warn you to keep an eye on the news and on Britannia." And with that, Suzaku replaced the mask over his face disappearing behind the blue and black face plate once again.

Kallen nodded with the same determination that she had when Lelouch was Zero. "Right!" And in one swift move, Zero disappeared in the shadows.

Kallen couldn't help but feel something for Suzaku. Sure she and him had their differences but they both had shared a similar identity crisis.

* * *

Dallas, Holy Britannian Empire

Britannia was too large and too powerful to be destroyed in one blow, but it's power and hegemony has waned nonetheless.

For the first time since the ascension of Duke Ricardo von Britannia in 1813 a.t.b., the throne was left up for grabs. The only viable candidate for the throne would be Nunnally, but she had already declined preferring to mediate rather than rule.

The Imperial Provisional Council had desperately tried to find a candidate suitable to take the throne. A good portion of the council favored a candidate that would appeal to the old guard, and be a relatively weak figurehead.

If the council did not find a new leader soon, the Empire would be engulfed in regional violence that could escalate into an all out civil war, one that Britannia could not afford at this point.

The council was made up of various high-ranking military officers and nobles from all over the mainland. One would think they would be fighting amongst themselves for the throne, but that was not so. If they fight amongst themselves now, that would only show their own weakness and be an invitation of other powers to attack them.

During the discussions between the nobles, one person sat silent and pondered. This person was an Earl of Britannia, Alexander Tristanamos.

After several hours of bickering and debate over who would succeed the throne, Alexander Tristanamos raised his hand, "May I make a suggestion?"

Judging by his appearance, one would never guess that he was an Earl of the Britannian Empire. He was pretty well off due to his status as the son of the Tristanamos family, a powerful household in the mainland responsible for financing the research and development of many prototype Knightmare and mecha frames including the Tristan and Mordred.

He was tall, elegant and a bit of a ladies man and always had a smile on the surface. Though still 17 and in high school, he busied himself with the affairs of state, if one day he was going to be the head of his household. Lately his father, Duke Tristanamos, has been sick and Alexander volunteered to represent him in his stead.

"It seems to me that the only viable solution would be to find a suitable candidate that is willing take the reins of power, know what he is doing, but at the same time, be vulnerable enough so that we can still control him correct?

Their was a murmur of consensus and several heads nodding.

"Well, I think I might know someone that can take up the position. Why don't you let me interview this person and see how that works?"

Again there was chatting amongst the council.

One noble, dressed in red robes stood up to address Alexander. "May we ask who this person is? And would be qualified?"

"Yes he is. He is a good friend of mine at school and has expressed interest in taking the throne. He is intelligent and capable and I think he is still young enough so that the council and control him from the shadows."

"Well I suppose that could work, at this point we have to move fast. The southern provinces have been threatening more and more to secede from the Empire, I think this choice is the best we have for now." The noble said to Alexander.

"Very well, when I get back to school, I'll speak on this with him." And with that, the council was adjourned and everyone left.

Alexander now thought about his friend whom he was going to suggest to be the next emperor. His name was Xascul Luminaris, a rather ambitious student studying with Alex abroad at Ashford Academy. For now, they were on their winter break and Xascul was currently on vacation with his family.

The young Earl thought about his characteristics. He was very diligent with his work at school, and was his class's representative for the Student Council. When the two ate lunch together, he remembered Xascul saying once what he would do if he was the country's leader. He said he admired Emperor Charles, for his values, but not his methods. Although this was more of an inside joke between the two, it still gave insight to Alex for a candidate. He thought he would hear more people vying for the throne, but after what Lelouch did, he could understand why no one wanted the job anymore.

Nevertheless, he had to admit that Xascul was a capable leader, and exercised compassion and reason when he had to, and showed good judgment in decision making. Heh, if he was right about Xascul being a capable emperor, he would eat his hat.

In reality though, he didn't wish to see Xascul becoming a puppet of the council. It would tear him up piece by piece.

Oh well, he still had three days left of winter break and he wasn't going to let it go to waste!

* * *

Please read and review!

A/N: Yes I know, that I am writing myself as the next leader of Britannia, but I have yet to try writing myself as the bad guy! Booyah! Please don't get the wrong idea. There is still more to much more to come!


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